Boater's widow wants new detective on case

Published: Wednesday, September 4, 2013 at 1:40 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, September 4, 2013 at 1:50 p.m.

MANATEE COUNTY - The widow of a popular Palmetto High School librarian who disappeared and turned up dead nine days later is asking for a new Manatee County sheriff's detective to be assigned to the case and possibly for another agency to examine the evidence.

Facts

REWARD

The Mullins family has established a memorial Facebook site and scheduled several fundraisers, hoping to raise $10,000 in reward money, hoping it will prompt someone to come forward with more information about her husband's death.

The first event will be held from 1 to 6 p.m. Sept. 28 at the King Family Farm on Caruso Road in Bradenton.

Facts

PHOTO GALLERY

Jill Mullins said she has no confidence in the investigation of her husband, Pat's, death, and would like to see the Florida Department of Law Enforcement involved.

“I would like to see the case reopened — from inactive to active,” she said. “But, since the Sheriff's Office has concluded their investigation, I would like to see it go to a higher level, like the FDLE.”

Another possibility, Mullins said, would be for Manatee County's homicide task force to examine the case.

“I just want help,” she said.

Since the Herald-Tribune first reported the details of her husband's death and the results of the Sheriff's Office investigation, Mullins has heard from many friends and supporters — and a national television news magazine.

“All of the people who have contacted me said it's obviously not a suicide,” she said.

But Manatee County sheriff's officials believe the death was self-inflicted.

Sheriff's spokesman Dave Bristow would not say what actions his agency might consider until after deputies have a chance to talk again to Mullins about her concerns.

“We have reached out to Ms. Mullins, to discuss what she wants, but we're not gonna play this thing out in the newspaper,” Bristow said Wednesday. “We have called her. We're waiting on her to get back to us to see what she wants.”

River mystery

Pat Mullins, 52, went missing on Jan. 27 while testing a boat motor he had recently refurbished on the Braden River.

His boat was found two days later. There were no signs of foul play found aboard the vessel.

Mullins' body was found nine days later near Emerson Point in four feet of water, strapped securely to a 25-pound boat anchor.

The cause of death was determined to be a shotgun blast to the head, although forensic experts cannot rule out that the popular librarian was shot more than once.

Publicly, officials from the Sheriff's Office say their minds are not made up: Mullins' death is an open although inactive investigation.

Privately, however, sheriff's officials say it was a suicide.

Investigators have acknowledged that they never found any reason why Mullins would have taken his own life.

They found no health scares, no drug or alcohol problems, no financial irregularities in Mullins' life and no suggestions that he might want to do himself harm.

They were able to confirm Mullins never owned a shotgun.

Darryl Davis — the detective in charge of the investigation and a former student of Jill Mullins — has told the widow that she should be “reasonable” and implied that she should accept that her husband killed himself.

Sheriff’s officials deny Davis told Mullins to be “reasonable” and accept the suicide.

Davis changed the status of the case from “active” to “inactive” in July. Unless new information or tips come in, Mullins' death will not be actively investigated.

“I think Detective Davis started down one path and never looked at any other possibility,” Mullins said Tuesday. “Overall, our family is extremely disappointed in the investigation.”

<p><em>MANATEE COUNTY</em> - The widow of a popular Palmetto High School librarian who disappeared and turned up dead nine days later is asking for a new Manatee County sheriff's detective to be assigned to the case and possibly for another agency to examine the evidence.</p><div class="art_item art_item_inset art_item_facts">
<h3>Facts</h3>
<h4>PHOTO GALLERY</h4>
<p><A HREF="http://galleries.heraldtribune.com/default.aspx?id=364523#/0" target="_blank">Click here to see more photos in the Pat Mullins case. Warning: some images are graphic.</a></p>
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<p>Jill Mullins said she has no confidence in the investigation of her husband, Pat's, death, and would like to see the Florida Department of Law Enforcement involved.</p><p>“I would like to see the case reopened — from inactive to active,” she said. “But, since the Sheriff's Office has concluded their investigation, I would like to see it go to a higher level, like the FDLE.” </p><p>Another possibility, Mullins said, would be for Manatee County's homicide task force to examine the case.</p><p>“I just want help,” she said.</p><p>Since the Herald-Tribune first reported the details of her husband's death and the results of the Sheriff's Office investigation, Mullins has heard from many friends and supporters — and a national television news magazine. </p><p>“All of the people who have contacted me said it's obviously not a suicide,” she said.</p><p>But Manatee County sheriff's officials believe the death was self-inflicted.</p><p>Sheriff's spokesman Dave Bristow would not say what actions his agency might consider until after deputies have a chance to talk again to Mullins about her concerns.</p><p>“We have reached out to Ms. Mullins, to discuss what she wants, but we're not gonna play this thing out in the newspaper,” Bristow said Wednesday. “We have called her. We're waiting on her to get back to us to see what she wants.”</p><p><b>River mystery</b></p><p>Pat Mullins, 52, went missing on Jan. 27 while testing a boat motor he had recently refurbished on the Braden River.</p><p>His boat was found two days later. There were no signs of foul play found aboard the vessel.</p><p>Mullins' body was found nine days later near Emerson Point in four feet of water, strapped securely to a 25-pound boat anchor.</p><p>The cause of death was determined to be a shotgun blast to the head, although forensic experts cannot rule out that the popular librarian was shot more than once.</p><p>Publicly, officials from the Sheriff's Office say their minds are not made up: Mullins' death is an open although inactive investigation.</p><p>Privately, however, sheriff's officials say it was a suicide.</p><p>Investigators have acknowledged that they never found any reason why Mullins would have taken his own life.</p><p>They found no health scares, no drug or alcohol problems, no financial irregularities in Mullins' life and no suggestions that he might want to do himself harm.</p><p>They were able to confirm Mullins never owned a shotgun.</p><p>Darryl Davis — the detective in charge of the investigation and a former student of Jill Mullins — has told the widow that she should be “reasonable” and implied that she should accept that her husband killed himself.</p><p>Sheriff's officials deny Davis told Mullins to be “reasonable” and accept the suicide.</p><p>Davis changed the status of the case from “active” to “inactive” in July. Unless new information or tips come in, Mullins' death will not be actively investigated. </p><p>“I think Detective Davis started down one path and never looked at any other possibility,” Mullins said Tuesday. “Overall, our family is extremely disappointed in the investigation.”</p>